Fire hose holder and clamp



May 22, 1956 B. AUSMUS FIRE HOSE HOLDER AND CLAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 8, 1952 INVENTOR BerneZZL.flusmu 5 y ATTORNEYS May 22, 1956 r B. L. AUSMUS 2,745,064

FIRE HOSE HOLDER AND CLAMP Filed Sept. 8, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR E] ,BerneZZ L.2Yusmus BY WM ATTORNEYS United States Patent G FIRE HOSE HOLDER AND CLAMP Berneil L. Ausmus, Fullerton, Caiif. 7 Application September 8, 1952, Serial No. 308,328

1 Claim. (Cl. 7-4) This invention relates to a fire hose holder and clamp, and has for its primary object the provision of an improved device for providing an auxiliary hand hold for a hose combined with a clamp for pinching off a hose.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device adapted to be positioned on a charged fire hose near the nozzle to provide supplemental handles for securely holding the hose.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of such a device which may be utilized to pinch off a dry or charged line so that additional hose line may be added or the nozzle may be changed while the hose is charged.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an adjustable clamping means whereby the volume of water flowing through the line may be regulated by effecting a pinching action on the line.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangement of parts, and features of construction, all of which will be described more fully hereinafter, and shown in the drawings wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view partially in elevation and partially in section, showing one form of hose holder and clamp applied to a fire hose in holding position,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a side view partially in elevation and partially in section, showing the device of Figure 1 in hose clamping position,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view showing the device in locked hose holding position,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a structural detail of the latching structure shown in Fig. 4.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to Figure 1, the device is comprised of a pair of oppositely disposed handle portions and 11 respectively. As best shown in Figure 2, handle 10 is provided adjacent one extremity with a pair of spaced aligned lugs 12, between which fits a single lug 13 carried by a handle 11. Lugs 12 and 13 are provided with aligned bores through which extends a pivot or hinge pin 14, in order to provide for pivotal swinging movement of the handle members relative to each other.

Referring now to handle 11, the same is provided with an arcuate half section 15, at one end thereof, which terminates in a lug 16, provided with a barrel 17 apertured to receive a hinge pin 18, to the ends of which are secured lugs 19 positioned at the extremities of a U-shaped clamp or locking member 20, the latter being freely swingable about the pivot 18.

The elongated handle portion 11 is provided with a recess 21 extending therethrough, within which is pivoted, as by a pivot 22, one end of a clamp or locking memice her 23. The member 23 is arcuate in configuration and is provided along its convex edge with a plurality of serrations or teeth 24. The outer end of recess 21 is arcuate, as indicated at 25, to permit free swinging of the end of member 23 while the inner end of recess 21 is provided with a shoulder or stop 25 which serves to hold member 23 in substantially vertical position relative to the recess, when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 3 for example.

Referring now to the opposite handle member 10, there is provided at one extremity an arcuate or semi-circular member 26 which terminates in a lug 27 provided with a barrel 28 containing a pivot or hinge pin 29, the ends of which extend outwardly and engage in the end portions 39 of an elongated handle member 31, the handle member 31 being provided with a projection 32 on the lower side thereof to form a recess 33 for the accommodation of the bale of member 20 when the parts are in locked or latched relation.

In the elongated handle portion 10 there is provided a groove or recess 35 extending vertically through the handle and having along one edge thereof a plurality of serrations or teeth 36 oppositely disposed relative to the projections 24 for coaction therewith, in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter. The opposite face of recess 35 is provided with a relatively thin leaf spring 37 and the entire recess may be closed by a cover plate 39, secured as by means of screws or the like in apertures 41 in the side Wall of handle 10 (see Fig. 2). Figures l and 3 show the device with the cover plate removed.

In the use and operation of the device, when it is desired to utilize the construction as a hose holder, the parts are arranged in the position shown in Figure 1, about a hose H, with lugs 16 and 27 in aligned relation, and with the bale 2t) engaged in recess 33. Upward movement of the handle 31 will serve to effect a locking or clamping action to securely hold the handle and hose in related assembly, while the pressure within hose H will serve to bias arcuate members 15 and 26 outwardly a sufficient degree to retain the engagement of bale 20 in recess 33.

Obviously, downward pressure of handle 31 will release the bale 20 from its associated recess 33 to permit disengagement of the handle from the hose.

When it is desired to clamp a hose H, the parts are moved to the position shown in Figure 3, with the handle 10 on one side of the hose and the handle 11 on the other side. At this point member 23 is swung out of its recess 41 in handle member 11 to vertical position, the shoulder 25 serving as a stop to retain the same in alignment and is guided by the arcuate upper surface 10a of handle 10, into recess 35. The surface 10a provides a convex clamping surface which cooperates with a concave clamping surface formed on handle 11 for clamping engagement with the hose H. Spring 37 biases teeth 24 toward and into engagement with teeth 36, and the inter-engagement of the teeth serves securely to clamp the handle members together about the hose H in such manner as to securely clamp the hose to either restrict or entirely cut off the flow of water therethrough.

When it is desired to release the clamping action of the hose it will be readily apparent that inward pressure of member 23 against spring 39 will effect disengagement of the interlocked teeth and permit the ready disengagement of handles 10 and 11 to unclamp the hose.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved hose clamp and handle which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and 'as many modifications may be made of the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

WhatI claim is: i

A fire hose clamp comprising a semi-cylindrical section having a concave inner surface and a convex outer surface, an elongated member integrally joined to the central portion of the convex outer surface of said section, a lug integrally secured to and extending beyond oneedge of said section with the axis of said lug parallel to the axis of said semi-cylindrical section, said elon gated member having a recess extending therethrough with the axis of said recess extending right angularly to the axis of said section, said recess being spaced from the opposite ends of said member, said member having a recess formed in one side face thereof extending from the convex surface of said section to said first named recess, an arcuate arm pivotally secured at one end in said first recess and adapted to pivot from a position perpendicular to said member toa position generally parallel to said member and Within said second recess,

ratchet teeth formed on the convex side of said arm, a

' 4 i I pivotally securing said first lug between said pair of lugs, said elongated member-having a groove extending therethrough with the axis of said groove generally perpendicular to the axis of said section, a cover for said groove closing the side face thereof, a flat spring secured to the inner wall of said groove, rack teeth formed in the outer wall of said groove, said groove being adapted to receive said arm with said ratchet teeth held in engagement with said rack teeth by said spring for locking said clamping surfaces closed in clamping relation with a fire hose, and a separable fastener secured to the side edges of said sections opposite said lugs with said separable fastener being adapted to lock said clamping surfaces completely open, said sections being adapted to be engaged about a hose and held thereon by said separable fastener so that said elongated members may then serve as hose manipulating members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 64,285 Collins Apr. 30, 1867 251,825 Bruhl Jan. 3, 1882 735,799 McGill Aug. 11, 1903 798,827 Pirsch Sept. 5, 1905 877,012 Sullivan Jan. 21, v1908 1,701,411 Kellam Feb. 5, 1929 2,009,907 Teuber July 30, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS 39,503 Germany of 1886 40,236 Sweden of 1914 537,614 France of 1922 

